The Distant and Recent Past of Belarus

     Who was that first person that called himself a Belarusian? Though his name is lost in the mist of centuries but the first inhabitants are believed to live on the territory of Belarus around 100 thousand years ago. The ancestors of Belarusians were eastern Slavonic tribes: the Krivichi, Drygovichi and Radimichi. Later, in the 9th century AD on their lands Polotsk, Turov and other principalities were formed and they became a part of Kievan Rus, a powerful feudal state at that time.
     In the 11th century, the fragile unity of Kievan Rus' disintegrated. The East Slavs splintered into a number of independent and competing principalities. 1246 AD, when Mindouh, a duke of Baltic origin, came to power in the duchy of Novogrudok, opens a new page in Belarusian history. Novogrudok developed into an important political, economic and cultural center in Eastern Europe and played a key role in the growth of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and in uniting the other Belarusan lands under its rule. It was at this time the creation of the Belarusian nationality, language and culture was completed. Official documents and literary records of the time prove it. The Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were written in Belarusian, and were the first full code of laws written in Europe since Roman Law. In 1569 the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish Kingdom established a political union according to which a confederation- Rzecz Pospolita-emerged. As a result of the last division of Rzecz Pospolita in 1795 the Belarusan lands were occupied by the Russian Empire.

     But where does the name Belarus come from? At the end of the 14th century the term ‘Belaya Rus’ appeared. It’s difficult at present to explain how this name came about. Some researchers say that the name Belaya Rus was associated with the white colour of the clothes that the local people wore and their fair hair. Others believe that the word “bely” was used to denote free and independent from the Tatar Hordes. Belarusians have been destined to live at the crossroads of Europe’s major routes. The land of Belarus has seen through its history all kinds of enemies from far and near: the Goths marched through it to the much desired Black Sea leaving behind ruins and death. In the 13th century the German Knight Order of Sword-Bearers drove through Belarus and the Swedish feudals set out to grab their share. During the retreat from Moscow in 1812 many hundreds of Napoleon’s soldiers left their traces on our lands. Historians estimate that from the eleventh century the towns of Belarus were burnt to ashes at least three times every hundred years as a result of invasions.
     Bitter battles were fought on Belarusian land during the First World War (1914-1918), the Civil War (1918-1922) and the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). From the very first days of the Great Patriotic War the Belarusians rose up in defence of their country. The occupation of every inch of Belarusian land cost German invaders great losses. Victory was achieved at a high cost. Cities, towns and villages lay in ruins. But the heaviest losses were of people. Each third Belarusian was killed, burnt alive or removed to labour camps in Germany. And again within a short period of time Belarus rose from ashes like the phoenics bird.
     At present Belarus is a sovereign, independent state with its own government, constitution, coat of arms, flag and anthem. Belarusian people value peace and want to live in good neighbour relations with all other nations. They pay tribute to their ancestors and believe that the country with such a unique history and rich cultural heritage will have a happy future.